The New Moon's Rising
by loveofthegame117
Summary: The Princess of the Night has been searching for a certain knowledge. Now, far from where any safety-minded pony would tread, she seeks the culminations of her efforts.


Author's Note- WHOO I'M NOT DEAD! I know this isn't the longest space between stories/chapters, but it feels like it. Been having some technical difficulties with my computer, but its still (for now) running. Huzzah! Anyways, this is a small story i wrote after listening to PrinceWhateverer's "The Fight Within." It isn't really that well written, or thought out, but when you write a random story within 30 minutes, well... Anyways, enjoy!

Luna picked her way carefully through the old ruins. Stepping on a faulty stone and turning a hoof was not the only threat here, indeed, it might have been the least she could worry about. However she turned her mind away from the possibilities where threats were concerned- out here she could not afford to make an enemy of her imagination.

Her midnight-blue eyes danced and darted over her surroundings, scrutinizing every shadow. Under different circumstances she would have scoffed at her unease. She was the Princess of the Night, Shepard of the Shadows, why should she cower away from the darkness like a little filly?

Yet why did she feel so utterly lost?

"So, you did come." She whirled, horn glowing as she instinctively brought up a defensive spell. The words had been spoken with a light tone, as if the speaker had been greeting an old friend for lunch. However the voice was still hard and sharp as an assassin's knife. True to the comparison, the suspected utterer was just as slippery and deadly, if not more so, than the shadowy soldiers.

"WHO WOULD SPEAK TO US?" She used the Royal Canterlot Voice to attempt to assure this entity- as well as herself- that she was not intimidated. She was unaware as to the affect it had on the other, but she was acutely aware of its pitiful failure as a bolster to herself.

"Tsk. So brash, Luna," she flinched slightly at the casual use of her name. Only her sister held the right to address her as such. "I had hoped we would be able to address each other without such formalities." She felt a presence at her shoulder, but turning she saw no one.

"Very well. However, if we are to address each other, we would appreciate for you to show yourself." Her voice shook almost undetectably , but she was sure the other had picked up on it.

"Hmm, I suppose, seeing as how you were generous enough to lower your considerable volume." Without notice, a being appeared without as much as a displacement of air to announce its arrival. She bit her tongue to keep from shrieking.

The being was bipedal, a trait most uncommon in Equestria, and usually shared by creatures of dark nature like dragons, hydras and draconequus. The sinister appearance did not end there, the thing before her stood as tall as her, which was considerable compared to most ponies, and appeared to be wearing shadow, as a shimmering, dark haze surrounded him, obscuring his form, but not making his shape indiscernible, as she could make out where his two legs faded into his body, which reached upwards until his upper legs and neck began. Above all this, her companions head was unlike any she had ever seen- vaguely round, with a pointed nose and two sunken, mauve eyes positioned above it. On either side of the head were rounded ears, and a mouth bent into a friendly, but undeniably malevolent smile, as if he were looking at prey. Finally, his mane was short, reaching only were his upper legs merged with his torso, and was blacker than the night above him.

His appearance, both the entrance and physical look frightened her, and made her more than ever wish for a way to escape this situation. However she could not end this, she must see it through. She forced her fear away and attempted to smile hospitably. "We are pleased to have found you, after no small amount of effort."

His disconcerting grin widened. "Yes, I endeavor to make myself a hard man to find. Such practice discourages those who would seek to… displace me. And what of you!" He spread his upper legs wide to either side, enabling her to see they did not end in hooves but… _hands_. And he called himself a man. As this struggled to make itself known in her mind, he continued. "I am honored to be in the presence of the famed Princess of the Night! What a privilege!" He knelt before her, bowing his head, finally removing that ominous face from her sightline. It would not last though, as he looked back up when he stood. "But more incredible than that- why she would contact me." The smile turned sly.

She swallowed and spoke. "We had learned that you are purported to wield incredible power- the ability to unlock the power in others."

He turned and paced slowly in a circle around her. "True, I do command this ability. However it this knowledge is not lightly shared, and by consequence, not easily learned; certainly not by the sources that a princess of Equestria would readily consider." His eyes briefly flickered to her before returning forward.

"I-it is true we did not discover this easily, or by conventional methods. We pursued the knowledge long and hard before success." A shiver went up her spine as she remembered what "methods" she referred to.

"Hmm, truly you are dedicated to gaining power. But why, I wonder? You are already an alicorn, which gives considerable power to begin with. Furthermore, you are a princess of Equestria! Your whims become law with a word! What power would you seek past this?"

She bristled. "We do not wield this power to which you refer. We are forced to operate in much smaller scale, and bide until a time that nopony appreciates while our sister basks in the glory of our subjects praise!"

He stopped and turned his head towards her, a glint in his eye. "Ah, so now I see. You are the poor little sister, jealous of your older siblings praise and privilege, which you seek to take for your own." She silently cursed herself for losing her temper and revealing this information. "Fear not though, ambitious young sister. I can give you the ability to gain your sibling's respect and become equal with her for good." She looked up, hopeful. But her common sense prevented her from being truly pleased.

"And what ritual would we endure for this power? What would we sacrifice for your amusement?" She knew these were dangerous words, but she uttered them anyway.

He continued walking his circle. "Oh, none. If you remember correctly, and got your knowledge from honest sources, you would know that I grant no power, but instead awaken it in those who seek me out." For the first time he turned fully towards her since greeting her. "As for deciding who is worthy of my gift, it is trial enough to learn of me and find me. Therefore I grant wishes quite liberally."

Her heart soared, leaving her common sense well out of earshot. Finally, here was a being who could help her, and whatever requirement he wanted she had filled! Now she could put her sister in her place, which is the same place she herself had existed in for so long. "Excellent. We are pleased to learn of this. Would you assist us so readily?"

His smile broadened. "Why of course. I take great delight in helping those I am able to." He extended a hand. "Simply take my hand and let the power awaken within you.

The sight of the extended hand brought her mind back to a reasonable place. Such a sight she had never seen before, but combined with his earlier statements, she possessed enough knowledge to follow a train of thought.

He called himself a man. Humans were only the subjects of irrelevant ponylore and tall tales to entertain- and frighten- little foals. They were similar to ponies in many ways, being of similar intelligence and ability. However, humans were renowned for being deceptive beings, violent, dishonest, and corrupted. While this could not have been the entire truth if these beings ever existed, it did cause them to be portrayed as villains and monsters in many stories. Luna had heard many of these tales at all points of her life, enough to seriously question her reason at this point.

However they remained only stories, and this could not possibly be a true human, as they were just that- stories. As a chosen form or avatar, it made much more sense. That sparked a faint memory- A flash, accompanied by a snap… An evil laugh… followed by a singular statement "What's the fun in making sense?"

She banished the idle thought. He was long gone, never to return. She was not going to be scared of little foals tales was she? No. Thus resolved, she reached out and took the hand.

It was slightly warm, thought it quickly lost any heat and became cool. Then the coolness morphed to cold. Then, much to her alarm, the cold began to seep from the hand to her hoof, traveling leisurely up her leg. She pulled away quickly as if stricken. Looking down at her hoof she saw her dark blue coat beginning to turn a soulless black.

"WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO US?" Shaking her leg made no difference, it continued its slow pace up her body. Spells equally made no effect. "STOP THIS SORCERY! WE COMMAND YOU!"

He laughed. "My dear princess, why so startled? I merely am granting what you asked of me? Power." He chuckled and watched her struggle with unforgiving eyes.

She began to convulse, desperately attempting to rid her being of this poison. To her horror when it reached her royal armor it turned it a cruel blue, light in color but radiating treachery. "CEASE THIS AT ONCE! YOU WILL BE PUNISHED!"

He simply laughed again. "Punished? Why dear Luna, you cannot punish what doesn't exist." And with that, he disappeared in much a similar fashion as he appeared."

Defeated, alone, and very much betrayed, Luna uttered one last anguished cry as herself before the cold reached her head and took her.

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Far off in Canterlot, Celestia awoke from her slumber, worried. She looked up to see no cause for alarm in sight. Still she could not shake the feeling that something terrible had just taken place.

She didn't notice the echoes of a scream dancing in her head.

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A dark creature rose from its knees. Its green eyes pierced the darkness around it, searching for the wretched creature that struck her. Unable to locate it, she turned her serpentine eyes to the sky. The night… her night. She remembered her name- Luna. She shook her head in disgust. Such a weak, soft name. She searched for one more fitting of her power. Night… Mare. Nightmare. She nodded. This would suffice. However it was missing something… She turned her gaze skyward once more, searching. There! Hanging above the land, larger, dominant, more so than any of the smaller weaker entities around it. The moon. Her moon, Nightmare's Moon.

Nightmare Moon.

She spread her black wings and took to the sky, reveling in her newfound power. She would show who owned this land. She would show the superiority of the Night.

Out of sight, a being watched in satisfaction as his latest creation took off. He turned to walk in the other direction, humming as he went, thinking how creative he was. Quite creative.


End file.
